Chekhov’s “The Bet”: Metamorphosis of the Lawyer Events and experiences in one’s life can alter one’s perspective on life. In Anton Chekhov’s “The Bet,” the protagonist, the lawyer, goes through a transformation as a result of his incarceration. From the beginning of the story until the end of his confinement, the lawyer undergoes a metamorphosis, starting as an optimistic, impulsive, young man, becoming a lonely, despondent prisoner, and ultimately, emerging as a wise, educated philosopher. At the onset of the story, the lawyer is portrayed as a person who values life, however, he is also described as being impetuou